Finishing the season with a 15-6 record, the Lady Cats ended the winter with a loss in the first game of district play. But, going into the game, the ladies captured two big league wins the week before.

The Waterford Kettering Captains ended Oxford’s season in a 47-37 game at Lake Orion, the hosting school for district six, on March 4.

Senior guard Ashley Hershman got the Lady Cats started with their first five points. Throughout the first half, the score stayed tight. It was the second half that Kettering would take advantage of and run away with the lead. Head Coach Rachel Bryer said even though it ended in a loss, the captains led this squad of ladies one last time well.

In their last game of the regular season on Feb. 27, the ladies pulled off a shocker in overtime with a 48-45 win over Troy.

Troy led Oxford for the entire first half. The Wildcats’ shooting game was faltering, and the teams went into halftime with Troy leading 34-27.

In the game’s second half, Oxford fought hard to even the score. Though Troy was up by 11 points at one point, the Lady Cats cut the lead to just six points with five minutes left to go. Sophomore guard Mackenzie Methner and Hershman hit important 3-pointers to narrow the game 40-42. Methner then came through at the free-throw line and tied the game 42-42.

Heading into overtime, Hershman took charge and sunk a 3-pointer and a free-throw to add another check to the win column. Hershman led the team with 14 points. She was followed by senior forward HaLaya Cato with 11 and Methner with 10 points and eight rebounds.

The night before, the Lady Cats pulled off the biggest upset of their season. Oxford hosted West Bloomfield on Feb. 26 and crushed the division leaders in a 54-38 win. This game was the first loss for a previously undefeated Laker team.

Bryer said the ladies came out of the gate “ firing on all cylinders” and sunk two 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the first quarter. The Lakers couldn’t keep up, making only three of its 13 attempted shots in the first quarter.

Moving with confidence, Oxford held onto its lead in the second quarter and went into halftime up 30-20.

Though the Lakers tried to stage a comeback in the third quarter, Oxford stayed ahead to take the win. Bryer said it was ultimately free-throws that saved the day. Of the 21 shots they were given, the Lady Cats made 17 free-throws throughout the night.

Cato led the ladies with 19 points and six rebounds. Methner put up 10 points and seven rebounds, and junior guard Sarah Tyrrell was also key with her seven points.

Oxford finished the regular season 15-56 overall, with an 11-3 league record.

“It was a great season for the Wildcats,” Bryer said.